now a cutting edge technology is making part of the process a lot more comfortable. abc7 news health and science reporter carolyn johnson has the details. >> ellen sue is all smiles when she plays with her newborn son. a smile that's actually improving thanks to evolving technology. >> today we will scan your feet. -- your teeth. >> she's been fitted for the popular invisaline braces. >> it's a departure from the traditional molds used by most orthodontists. >> now we can have digital models without taking the goopy impressions. >> first he reaches for the scanner that will photograph ellen's teeth. it's connected to a computer system that will ultimately beam the images from her practice in san francisco to the itera lab. over the next several minutes the doctor guides the camera around ellen's upper and lower jaw line. the device is completely optical. no radiation. >> see if we can get these areas here. >> step by step the camera builds a three-dimensional map of her teeth. the computer alerts the dentist if the section doesn't have a complete image so it can be r